Razor

ABSTRACT

A SAFTEY RAZOR, SUCH AS A LADIES&#39;&#39; RAZOR, IN WHICH A SHAVING LENGTH OF BLADE IS SUPPORTED ON A FLEXIBLE BLADE SUPPORT PLATFORM, WITH ONE SHARPENED EDGE EXPOSED, AND THE PLATFORM COUPLED TO THE RAZOR HANDLE FOR FLEXING TO VARY THE CURVATURE OF THE PLATFORM ALONG THE SHAVING LENGTH, THEREBY VARYING THE CURVATURE OF THE BLADE EDGE. THE RAZOR MAY ALSO INCLUDE ADJUSTING STRUCTURE FOR MOVING THE PLATFORM BETWEEN VARIOUS CURVATURES AND A FLEXIBLE BLADE GUARD OR CLAMP WHICH FLEXES WITH THE PLATFORM.

United States Patent [72] inventor Roger L. Perry Lynnfield Center, Mass. [2]] Appl. No. 822,540 [22] Filed May 7,1969 [45] Patented June 28, 1971 [73] Assignee The Gillette Company Boston, Mass.

[54] RAZOR 20 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

52 u.s.c| [51] Int. Cl [50} Field of Search [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,231,215 6/1917 Sterrick 2,116,190 5/1938 Davies 3,375,578 4/1968 Nissen Primary Examiner-Theron E. Condon Assistant Examiner--E. F. Desmond Attorney-Willis M. Ertman ABSTRACT: A safety razor, such as a ladies razor, in which a shaving length of blade is supported on a flexible blade support platform, with one sharpened edge exposed, and the platform coupled to the razor handle for flexing to vary the curvature of the platform along the shaving length, thereby varying the curvature of the blade edge. The razor may also include adjusting structure for moving the platform between various curvatures and a flexible blade guard or clamp which flexes with the platform.

RAZOR This invention relates to razors.

Conventional facial razors, which present a flat blade edge, are ill-suited for shaving other, differently contoured parts of the body, It has previously been proposed to mount a blade on a rigid convex or concave blade support to provide the necessary contour, but such razors are obviously of limited application, and potentially dangerous where the blade contour does not match the body contour.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a razor capable of presenting a plurality of stable convex and concave blade edges to conform to body contours, which is easily adjustablebetween blade contours, and which includes all the protective features of conventional safety razors.

Another object is to provide a ladies razor which is continuously and easily adjustable over a wide range of concave to convex blade angles, without removing the blade or any other portion of the razor, which can be made stable at any desired contour, andwhich is also safe, economical, and of simple,

' durable, and dependable construction.

Another object is to provide a single-edge razor, or theinjector or continuous band type, having an adjustable blade edge for conforming to various body contours.

A further object is to provide a disposable continuous-band razor with an adjustable blade edge.

The invention features a safety razor comprising a handle portion and a flexible blade support platform having a first end and a second end defining a shaving zone therebetween, for supporting a shaving length of blade in said shaving zone with a sharpened end of the blade projecting beyond one edge of the support platform, said flexible blade support platform mounted in said handle portion for flexing between said ends to vary the curvature of the platform and thereby also the curvature of said blade along said shaving length.

In particular embodiments, adjusting structure is coupled between the platform and the handle for changing the curvature of the platform. For example, the blade support platform is flexibly mounted to the handle portion at its ends, and the adjusting structure coupled to the underside and centrallyof the platform for raising or lowering the center of the platform relative to its ends.

ln a preferred embodiment, the handle includes blade supporting structure having a web portion and a pair of arms flexibly supporting the two ends of the platform on this web portion, the arms being free to flex toward or away from one another as the curvature of the platform is increased or decreased, respectively. The blade support platform and arms may be formed from a single thin flexible (e.g., plastic) strip, having its two ends folded back under the blade support platform and secured to the web portion to form the flexible arms, the radius of curvature of the interior curved surfaces connecting the platform and arms being free to increase with increases in the curvature of the blade support platform. The blade support platform may be of varying dimensions between its center and each end so as to equalize forces along the shaving length (e.g., the bending stresses by making the center thicker than the ends).

In a strip-type razor constructed in accordance with the invention where a ribbonlike length of blade is fed from a blade supply around the blade support and back to a takeup arbor to render successive portions of blade available for shaving, this blade supporting surface and the curved ends thereof define a path of travel for the blade between the supply and the takeup arbor. The blade support platform may also then include guides, such as upstanding flanges at its opposite ends, to preserve alignment of the blade along the platform and to expose a uniform portion of blade edge for each successive shaving portion of blade.

There is also preferably provided in such a single edge razor a blade securing member having a portion contacting the upper blade surface (opposite that lying in contact with the blade support platform) for securing the shaving length of blade for movement with the platform into both concave and convex curvatures. This blade-securing member preferably comprises a flexible elongated C-clamp that follows the curvature of the blade-support platform. The clamp has two clamping arm members, one contacting the blade and the other contacting the underside of the blade support platform, the two clamping arm members being connected and biased toward one another by an intermediate portion that extends along the unsharpened rear blade edge. This elongated clamp is sized to fit between the supporting arms of the blade support platform, and is connected at its ends 'to the body of the razor by two flexible arms that are free to move toward or away from one another, as required.

A particularly flexible and durable C-clamp has each clamping arm member formed of a plurality of spaced-apart ridges having opposed parallel sides, adjacent ridges being connected at their bases by a relatively thin flexible strip, the spacing between adjacent ridge surfaces determining the maximum concave and convex curvatures which the clamp can assume. Where the blade support is provided with blade guiding flanges, as described above, these flanges may also be used to position the top portion of the C-clamp with respect to the blade support platform.

A preferred form of adjusting structure for changing the curvature of the exposed blade edge comprises a rotatable control knob including a bore having a helical thread; and an adjusting rod secured at one end to the underside and centrally of the blade support platform and including, near its opposite end, at least one projecting portion frictionally engaged with the thread, the frictional force between projecting portion and thread being sufficient to lock the adjusting rod in a perpendicular position during shaving operations, but being able to manually overcome by rotating the control knob. Movement of the rod is perpendicular to the blade support platform and may be limited by providing unthreaded portions in the control knob toward the top and bottom of the knob. The rod is inserted in a deformable control knob, with axial guides, if desired, for receiving the projecting rod portions, the control knob deforming to permit the rod projections to be inserted through the upper unthreaded portion of the knob until the projections are seated into the threads of the knob. The knob may be rotated by means of a disc-shaped dial portion exposed through the handle of the razor and additionally or alternatively through the web portion of the blade securing structure or cap, slots being provided to expose a portion of the periphery of the dial while also securing the dial, and hence the entire knob, against movement perpendicular to the blade support platform.

The adjustable razor according to the present invention is most conveniently provided in the form of a strip-type razor in which razor blade material is fed from a supply chamber along the adjustable blade supporting platform, providing an exposed razor blade edge of the desired convex or concave configuration, back around underneath the blade support to a takeup arbor. The C-clamp is formed in such a way as to allow longitudinal movement of the blade along the blade supporting surface, in response to blade advancing and tracking means located below the adjusting structure within the interior of the handle.

Because the parts of this razor may all be made inexpensively of molded plastic, and the blade tracking and advancing mechanism is relatively simple and economical to produce, the entire razor may be provided in a disposable form. Thus, fatigue on the plastic parts, especially on the control rod and mating threaded housing, will not be a significant factor, since these units need only be designed to survive as long as the total blade supply included in the razor assembly.

Other objects, features, and advantages will appear to one skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken together with the attached drawings thereof in which:

FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of a strip-type razor construction embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment 3-FlG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial view of the razor of FIG. 1, showing only the head portion, adjusted to one extreme position; and

FIG. 5 is a partially sectional view of a portion of a control knob for adjusting the curvature of the blade edge.

In the FIGS., there is shown a razor of the type exposing successive portions of a ribbon of blade 1 1 having a sharpened edge 12 and an opposite edge 13, including a blade feed assembly 14, a blade counter 15, blade supporting structure 16 and cooperating control knob 18, a cap 20, and a handle 22.

Referring to FIG. 2, blade supporting structure 16 includes a blade support platform 23 having flexible end portions 24, 25 and upstanding blade guide lugs 26, 27, flexible supporting arms 29, 30, and a rectangular table 31 defined by upstanding walls 33, 34. A plurality of teeth 37 project from a thin strip 38 perpendicular to and integrally connected to one elongated edge of the underside 39 of blade support platform 23. The construction of blade support platform 23 may be varied along the shaving length to compensate for the greater bending of the center of the platform; for example, the thickness at the center may be greater than at the ends, and gradually varying in between to equalize bending stresses.

Depending from blade support 16 is a web 40 including recesses 41, which mate with dowel pins (not shown) in handle 22 for proper alignment of the razor elements, blade supply chamber 42 for holding blade coil 44 and including a blade feed slot 45 for feeding the blade ribbon therefrom, and slotted opening 47 for receiving blade advance handle 50, which is connected to blade takeup arbor 51, one full rotation of handle 50 resulting in a complete change of exposed blade edge on blade support platform 23. A blade counter disc of the type disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,262,198 is used to monitor the blade feed, disc 15 being coupled to handle 50 through eccentric lug 52, such that one full 360' rotation of handle 50 advances disc 15 one number. Other blade supply, advancing, and tracking mechanisms may be substituted for the above described mechanism. For example, a ratchet-type blade advancement system may be employed, and numbers provided e.g., on the blade strip itself, eliminating the need for counter 15.

Secured intermediate of and to the underside 39 of blade support platform 23 is adjusting rod 53, which is received in cylindrical bore 54 of control knob 18. Referring to FIG. 5, control knob 18, formed of a deformable plastic material, includes an interior helical thread 55 formed in bore 54. Thread 55 is sized and curved to accommodate and frictionally secure therein the helical projections 58 on adjusting rod 53, these projections being frictionally secured in thread 55 either by forming the projections with a slightly different curvature or with a slightly greater diameter than the respective curvature or diameter of thread 55, or some combination of both means. This frictional engagement is made such as to prevent slippage of the rod 53 with respect to knob 18 during normal shaving, and yet to allow manual rotation of knob 18 to adjust the posi' tion of adjusting rod 53. Axially extending peripheral notches 63 are also provided in bore 54 to facilitate assemblage of the rod and knob by providing guide channels for insertion of projections 58 through the unthreaded portion 56 of bore 54, knob 18 being temporarily deformed to accommodate this insertion.

The exterior surface of knob 18 includes a frustoconical portion 65, through the apex of which extends adjusting rod 53, and in integral dial 67, which conveniently has a serrated outer edge 68 for rotating the dial, and hence the knob, for adjustment of rod 53.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, cap includes a web portion 70, the lower edge 71 of which mates with step 74 in web 40 of blade support structure 16. Web portion 70 also includes a slot 75 through which extends a portion of the periphery of dial 67, slot 75 preventing axial movement of control knob 18 such that all rotational movement of dial 67 is translated into axial movement of adjusting rod 53. Shelf 76, which defines semicircular recess 77, further limits axial movement of control knob 18. Web 70 terminates in flexible opposed linking arms 78, 79 between which is mounted a flexible blade guard or clamp 80, in the form ofa C-clamp, having a top arm portion 81 and a bottom arm portion 82 with opposed parallel surfaces 83, 84, respectively, for clamping a shaving length of blade 11 to blade support platform 23, while allowing a successive shaving length of blade to pass longitudinally along support platform 23 with rotation of blade advance handle 50.

Each of clamping portions 81, 82, which are connected to one another along substantially their entire length by connecting portion 87, includes a series of teeth or ridges 88, 89, having parallel opposed surfaces 90, connected at their bases 91 to adjacent ridges by thin flexible strips 92. The spacing between adjacent ridges 88, 89 determines the maximum concave and convex curvatures which can be assumed by the blade clamp 80, and hence by the sharpened edge of the shaving length of blade 11.

For accommodating adjusting rod 53, which is secured to blade support platform 23, one ridge 89 is omitted at the center of arm 82. Because of the resultant flexibility of blade guard due to ridges 89 and connecting strips 92, blade clamp 80 is able to flexibly deform in unison with blade support platform 23 in response to movement of adjusting rod 53 perpendicular to the upper surface of platform 23. The end ridges 95 include notches 96 that mate with blade guide lugs 26, 27, for alignment of blade supporting structure 16 and cap 20.

Handle 22 includes interior curved surfaces 98 which cooperate with support platform 23 and with the flexible end portions 24, 25 of blade support 16 to define a path of travel for blade 1 1 between supply roll 44 and takeup arbor 51. Shelf 99, which includes a circular recess 100 that cooperates with recess 77 in shelf 76 of cap 16 to surround the frustoconical portion 65 of knob 18, further prevents axial movement of the knob. Handle 22 also includes a slot 101, aligned with slot 75 of cap 20, through which extends another peripheral portion ofdial 67. A blade counter window 102 exposes the numbered portion of blade counter 15, and a depending portion 104 is for grasping the razor.

In operation, a shaving length of blade is advanced into shaving position on blade support platform 23 by suitable rotation of blade supply handle 50. The desired curvature for the exposed edge is adjusted by rotating knob 18, the projections 58 on adjusting rod 53 following helical thread 55, while the knob itself is secured, by slots 75 and 101 and shelves 76 and 99, against any axial movement. Since adjusting rod 53, being fixed to the underside 39 of blade support platform 23, cannot rotate, rotation of control knob 18 results in an axial movement of adjusting rod 53 through bore 54, causing blade support platform 23 to be accordingly raised or lowered at its center, out of a planar configuration into a concave or convex configuration. For example, movement of dial 67 from right to left, in FIG. 1, will cause blade support platform 23, together with the shaving length of blade 11 and blade clamp 80, to assume the curvature shown in FIG. 4.

To accommodate the resultant shortened projected length of blade support platform 23 in the plane perpendicular to adjusting rod 53, flexible end portions 24, 25 allow flexible arms 29, 30 to move toward one another. Clamp linking arms 78, 79 similarly flex toward one another to accommodate changes in the curvature of blade clamp 80.

The frictional engagement of projections 58 with thread 55 will stabilize this curvature whenever manual rotation is ceased, and the curvature will remain safely the same for normal shaving operations.

Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are within the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. A safety razor comprising:

a handle portion, and

a flexible blade support platform having a first end and a second end defining a shaving zone therebetween, for supporting a shaving length of blade in said shaving zone with a sharpened edge of the blade projectingbeyond one edge of the support platform,

said flexible blade support platform being mounted on said handle portion for flexing between said ends to vary the curvature of said blade support platform and thereby the curvature of said blade along said shaving length.

2. The device of claim 1 including adjusting structure coupled between said blade support platform and said handle portion for changing the curvature of said blade support platform.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said blade support platform is flexibly mounted at its ends to said handle portion, and said adjusting structure is coupled to said blade support platform at the underside and centrally thereof.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said handle portion includes blade supporting structure having a web portion and a pair of arms flexibly supporting the ends of said blade support platform on said web portion, said arms being free to flex toward and away from one another as the curvature of said platform is increased and decreased, respectively.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said blade support platform and said supporting arms comprise an integral thin flexible strip, the ends of said strip being folded partially back under said blade support platform to form said arms, with the interior curved surfaces between the two ends of said blade support platform and said arms having increased curvature as the curvature of said blade support platform between said ends is increased.

6. The device of claim 1 including a blade securing member having a portion contacting the exposed surface of said blade opposite the blade'surface lying along said blade supporting platform for securing said shaving length of blade for movement with said blade support platform into both concave and convexcurvatures.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said blade securing member comprises a flexible elongated C-clamp structure that follows the curvature of said platform, said C-clamp structure having two elongated clamping members extending along said shaving zone, one above the blade support platform and adapted to contact the exposed blade surface and the other beneath the blade support platform and in contact therewith, and an intermediate portion adjacent the rear of said blade support platform for connecting said clamping members together and biasing said members toward one another for clamping the blade to said blade support platform.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein each said clamping member comprises a plurality of spaced-apart ridges connected by thin strips of flexible material, said ridges being spaced apart a predetermined distance corresponding to the maximum curvature desired for said clamp.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said clamp structure is flexibly supported at each end of said shaving zone on flexible arms free to flex toward and away from another in response to changes in the curvature of said clamp structure.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein said blade support platform includes an alignment lug at each end of said shaving zone and said clamp includes a mating notch at each end of said shaving zone for aligning said blade support platform with said clamp. I

11. The device of claim 2 wherein said adjusting structure comprises a rotatable control knob including a bore having a helical thread,

an adjusting rod secured at one end to the underside and centrally of said blade support platform and including, near its opposite end, at least one projecting portion frictionally engaged with said thread, the frictional force between said rod and said knob being of a magnitude sufficient to lock said adjusting rod in position during shaving operations of said razor, and capable of being mahually overcome by rotation of said control knob, and structure for securing said control knob against perpendicular movement relative to said support platform, while permitting perpendicular movement of said rod relative to said control knob to vary the curvature of said platform.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said projecting portion of said rod is in the form of a helical segment extending around a portion of the periphery of said rod, said helical segment being of a curvature slightly different from that of said thread, for frictional engagement of said projecting portion and said thread.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein said projecting portion forms a segment of a cylinder having a slightly greater diameter than the cylinder defined by the outer periphery of said thread for frictional engagement of said projecting portion and said thread.

14. The device of claim 11 wherein said bore includes an unthreaded portion at least at the top end thereof to limit upward movement of said rod in said bore.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said bore is of flexible material capable of radial deformation and includes an axially extending peripheral notch through the said unthreaded portion of a diameter intermediate of the diameter of said unthreaded portion and the diameter of said thread for insertion of said rod projections, with radial deformation of said unthreaded portion, axially along the said unthreaded portion of said bore into said thread.

16. In a safety razor including a ribbonlike length of blade of uniform width having a longitudinally extending rear edge and a parallel sharpened edge, blade supply means, and a blade takeup means wherein successive portions of said blade may be rendered available for shaving,

path-defining structure for a path of travel for said blade between said supply means and said takeup means including an adjustable, flexible blade support platform defining a shaving zone for a said successive portion of said blade,

said blade support platform being flexibly supported on the remainder of said path-defining structure at each end of said shaving length of blade,

adjusting structure, connected to said blade support platform, for varying the curvature of said platform between said flexibly secured ends, and

a cap portion comprising a flexible blade clamp for clamping said blade to said support platform along said shaving length, said clamp flexing with adjustment of the curvature of said blade supporting platform permitting the interior surface of said clamp to assume substantially the curvature of said platform.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said adjusting structure comprises a rotatable control knob having a portion defining a threaded interior bore and a control rod rotatably and frictionally secured at one end in said threaded bore and having its other end connected to the center of the underside of said blade support platform, said control knob including a discshaped exterior surface portion forming a dial for manual rotation of said knob, and said razor includes means cooperating with said knob for preventing relative movement of said knob perpendicular to said blade support platform.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said cap portion includes a depending web portion and a pair of flexible supporting arms connecting the two ends of said flexibleblade clamp, respectively, to said web portion, and said web portion includes an elongated slot for receiving therethrough a peripheral portion of the control knob dial to expose said peripheral dial portion for manual rotation, said slot sized to secure said control knob against axial movement, whereby rotation of said knob actuates axial movement of said control rod perpendicular to said blade support platform for determining the curvature of said platform.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein said razor includes a handle having a web portion containing an elongated slot for receiving therethrough an opposite peripheral portion of said control knob dial to expose said peripheral dial portion for manual rotation,

said control knob includes a frustoconical exterior surface portion having its base adjacent said disc and said control rod extends through its apex to said blade support platform, and

said web portions of said cap portion and said handle include inwardly extending flanges adjacent said elongated tion and inwardly to said web, said blade supply means and said blade takeup means being both located centrally of said web, and said curved corner portions forming path-defining means for guiding said blade between said blade support platform and said supply means and takeup means, respectively, said curved comer portions being free to move toward and away from one another in response to changes in the curvature of said blade support platform. 

